


Company for the Lonely

by red_jaebyrd



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Batbrothers (DCU) Bonding, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily (DCU) Bonding, Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Death Day Anniversary, Dick Grayson Feels, Fluff, Gen, Good Bro Dick Grayson, Good Older Sibling Dick Grayson, Hurt Jason Todd, Jason Todd Feels, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, POV Dick Grayson, Protective Dick Grayson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23504326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_jaebyrd/pseuds/red_jaebyrd
Summary: Dick could kick his own ass for not remembering what this particular day did to Jason every year.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Comments: 8
Kudos: 219





	Company for the Lonely

**Author's Note:**

> This fic started off as a small ficlet in response to an art prompt "Lonely" by doc-squash on tumblr. Check out their art, it's really cool. The way they draw the BatFamily and their dynamic is pure gold.   
> The original ficlet can be found on my tumblr at red-jaebyrd@tumblr.com
> 
> Warning: Mention of past death and torture

  
It was late and all Dick wanted to do right now was sleep. It had been a particularly busy week patrolling at night and even busier days at work. Every muscle in his body was screaming for rest and a reprieve. He was headed to his bedroom when he thought he heard a faint knock on his door.

He paused in the hallway to listen for another knock. Faintly, there was a second round of rapping on his door accompanied by shuffling feet. Dick racked his brain trying to figure out who would be showing up at his apartment this late at night. Looking into the peephole Dick was caught off guard at who he saw standing at his door. It was Jason.

“Jase! You’re in the Blud. You didn’t call..”

“Yeah, I was in the neighborhood and figured I’d return your Walkman…” Jason mumbled.

“You’re here at 1am to return the Walkman you stole ten years ago…” Dick joked, but his smile faded as he took in the state of Jason standing in front of him. Jason wasn’t looking at him. There were bags under his eye and they were slowly filling with tears. “Jay, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing…it’s just…” Jason choked out. “…I’m just,”

And before Dick knew it, Jason launched himself at Dick wrapping both arms around him in a hug. “Can I stay here for a while?”

Dick quickly snapped out of his stupor and returned the hug. “You know you can.”

It was the hug from Jay that had startled Dick the most. The sudden embrace and request was more jarring than actually seeing Jason standing outside his apartment at one in the morning. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence to have Jason at his place at this hour, though he usually came through the window, dressed in his uniform, and coming from patrol. Not showing up at his door with a backpack and wearing civvies.

He could feel a measure of tension release from Jason as his grip got tighter. Something had deeply shaken his brother and it was starting to scare Dick. Hugs weren’t something Jason easily gave out to anyone. Jason was more likely to gift him the most expensive pair of Nikes rather than give Dick a hug. Dick knew this first hand. 

To say Jay wasn’t big on hugs wasn’t an exaggeration, but he made an exception for Dick. He typically avoided most physical contact, but would at rare times seek out Dick for an awkward one armed hug. Dick respected his space, but sometimes it was hard to refrain from putting his arm around his little brother to fulfil his need for physical touch. Jason never shrugged off the arm, though at times Dick could feel a slight tension in his shoulders and took that as his cue to let go.

When Jay had been younger he would seek out hugs from Dick and even Bruce, but once he had come back from The Pit, something in him had changed. The need for touch had vanished and Dick had missed the hugs from his little brother. Still there were times that if Dick asked for a hug, Jason would oblige.

Tonight was different. Jason held on to Dick like a lifeline. Clasping onto him as if he would fall apart if he let go. Something must be horribly wrong for Jason to be so needing of contact and company.

“Jase…Jay talk to me, please?” Dick implored rubbing soothing circles on Jason’s back.

Jason shook his head. “It’s…its stupid. I shouldn’t have…”

“It’s not stupid. Tell me.”

Jason broke the embrace not answering the question. His eyes were wet and red rimmed. “Not right now, but I’ll tell you later.”

Dick nodded his head, “Okay.” He stepped aside gesturing Jason into the apartment.

Dick wasn’t so sure Jason would tell him what was wrong, but he didn’t want to press the issue, or come on too strong. Jason was known for holding all his crap inside until he burst. The casualties of his anger were always the criminals he encountered on patrol. While Jason encouraged his brothers to tell him their shit so they could get it out, Jason never burdened them with his troubles. 

“Okay, Little Wing. I’ll get some fresh sheets and you can have the bed.”

“No, Dick I’ll take the couch,” Jason sniffed using his sleeve to wipe his eyes. “The couch is fine.”

“Decision is made. You’re getting the bed, I’m getting the couch. C’mon.” Dick took Jason’s backpack from his arm and walked to his bedroom. 

Once he got Jason settled with fresh sheets on his bed, he grabbed a blanket and his pillow and made his way to the living room. Something kept niggling at the back of his brain. Something he was forgetting kept itching, forcing him to remember. Dick walked over to the peg board in his kitchen and glanced at the calendar. He looked at the date and blanched…April 27th.

_Shit!_

It was April 27th. The day everything had changed for Jason. The day that his brother had been tortured and horrifically taken from him and Bruce. A day that Jason

shouldn’t have to remember, yet he knew Jason remembered every detail of that day in the warehouse. From the impact of every hit from the crowbar to the smell of the Joker’s breath on his face taunting his death. 

No wonder Jason showed up at his apartment in his current state. It all made sense now. He didn’t want to be alone, not on this day. Dick could kick his own ass for not remembering what this particular day did to Jason every year. He should have known to look out for the date, but instead he allowed himself to get bogged down with work and cases leaving Jason to fend for himself. 

_Shit._

Every year around this time he and Jason made plans to get away from the city. They’d take the Range Rover from Bruce’s garage and drive to the country to go camping and just hang out away from the chaos and trauma of that terrible day. 

Each year Jason revealed to Dick a new detail about the day he had died. It had been unnerving for Dick to hear at first, but he knew that Jason had needed the opportunity to purge the ugliness from his mind. Allowing that darkness to fester inside his little brother wasn’t an option, not when Dick could be that secure presence and nonjudgmental ear Jason had needed to heal. 

Dick never knew what exact words of comfort Jason had wanted to hear during all those times he had divulged a new fact about the warehouse. If he were honest with himself, there were no words to tell Jason to have made him feel better. Instead Dick had done what he felt was the right thing to do. He had kept his mouth shut giving Jason his full attention as he listened to Jason talk without interruption. Dick had desperately tried to school his features but never really succeeded as silent tears were shed with every word from Jason’s mouth. Once Jason had also started crying story time was over and it was Dick’s turn to pick up the broken pieces with a hug. These camping trips had been the only time Jason’s true vulnerability had shown up. 

It had been the first one of these trips that Jason had opened up to him that on this particular day he had hated being alone. Dick had always thought of Jason as a solitary creature and he had been right. However, when it had come to the anniversary of his death, Jason hated being by himself. He had been alone when the Joker had beaten him up in that warehouse. He had been alone waiting for Bruce to find him. He had been alone when the bomb had finally gone off and killed him.  
Dick needed to do something now and fast. He patted softly to the bedroom and knocked lightly.

“Jase…I know you’re awake.” Dick opened the door and sat on the bed. “I…I know what day it is. I’m sorry I didn’t plan our weekend better. We can still sneak over to the Manor and take the Rover to the mountains. Or we can hang out here, watch movies, and order take out. It’s your choice.”

Jason sat up slowly, and turned around to face Dick. He looked so tired and lost, but relieved that Dick had finally figured it out. The sadness in his brother’s eyes was still there and it hurt Dick’s heart. He gently placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder. Jason wrapped his arms around him for another hug. 

“I’m so sorry Jay, I screwed up.”

Jason broke the embrace. “Not you’re fault. We’ve all been pretty busy. You look like shit too by the way.” 

Dick laughed. “Thanks.”

Jason shifted the blankets off of him and swung his legs off the bed. “I’ll go with you to get the Rover. Maybe we can raid the kitchen while we’re there.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

There was still one more question Dick had to ask Jason. “Did you happen to _bring_ my Walkman?”

“Dude, I lost that thing like 10 years ago. It’s long gone.”

“Just as well.” Dick struggled. “I lost your iPod.”

Jason laughed and threw a pillow at him. 

**Author's Note:**

> I know we don't see much of Jason being vulnerable with his brothers in the comics, but I like to think that he and Dick have this kind of special bond where they could be this blatantly honest with each other.


End file.
